Reading the World Challenge
I’m taking on a challenge: reading a book from every country of the world.
Or, more specifically, a book written by an author from every country. I’ve decided to embark on this journey because I want to read more, read more widely, and discover stories from corners of the world that too often go unheard.
I want to learn about the world in all its complexity, and I also want to hold myself accountable. A project with a clear scope and goal will (hopefully!) give me the motivation to follow through.
And I would love for you to join me. If you’ve ever considered a “reading the world” project, I would be thrilled to share the journey with you.
About me
I’m a reader, writer, and photographer - endlessly curious and constantly exploring the world through stories and places.
As a child, I devoured tales of enchanted forests and hidden worlds. As a teenager and adult, my taste shifted toward literary fiction, contemporary world literature, and non-fiction about politics, history, and social change. I have lived in Australia, Italy, and Sweden, and have travelled and worked in many other countries.
Books have been my constant through it all. Now, I’m excited to combine my love of reading with my love of travel by reading one book from every country in the world.
Why ‘Read the World’?
Research has found that reading fiction improves empathy and broadens understanding. Readers of literary fiction tend to perform better on emotional recognition tests such as the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the “Mind in the Eyes” test.
One study published in Science found that reading literary fiction significantly improved people’s ability to understand others’ thoughts and feelings. And a 2024 meta-study confirmed a small but significant benefit in empathy and theory-of-mind for fiction readers compared to those who read non-fiction or nothing at all.
Another study, however, showed that fiction only enhances empathy when readers are emotionally transported into the story (which I hope most of the books I read will do!)
Reading the world is not just about ticking books off a list. Instead, it’s about immersing in other lives and other places, and equipping myself with a broader lens for understanding the world.
What counts as “every country”?
I’ve decided to be inclusive and read from 205 entities. That includes the 193 UN member states, plus Palestine and Taiwan, as well as a handful of others recognised by at least one UN member state or meeting the Montevideo Convention criteria for statehood (which includes having a permanent population, defined territory, a government, and capacity for international relations).
I acknowledge that the inclusion or recognition of certain territories or states may be controversial to some, but my aim is not to endorse any political stance - just to learn about each place through its literature.
Fiction… mostly
I’m planning to focus on fiction, with the occasional non-fiction book for countries where it feels appropriate. While I originally considered reading a fiction and a non-fiction title from each country, I realised that would make the challenge nearly impossible to finish.
My approach
A rule I’ve set for myself is that approximately 80% of the books I read will be physical copies, 15% can be e-books, and 5% can be audiobooks. I love physical books and feel like the process is more tactile and memorable. I just don’t connect to e-books or audiobooks in the same way - I adore the look (and feel, and smell!) of actual books. But I’m allowing myself some exceptions for hard-to-find books.
My other rule is to start with books I already own. I’ve also decided to choose what interests me most rather than what’s considered a ‘must-read’. It’s quite a big project, after all, so it needs to be self-motivated and driven, and feel like an exciting journey, not a chore.
Timeframe dilemma
Should I set a deadline? A year would mean roughly four books a week which is unrealistic given my current commitments. On the other hand, I work well under pressure and tend to let tasks expand to fill the time available (Parkinson’s Law!)
For now, I’m leaning toward keeping it open-ended, but I’m still undecided.
My current TBR by country
Here’s the starting line-up from my current bookshelf:
Afghanistan – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Argentina – Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro
Australia – Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
Austria – The Wall by Marlen Haushofer
Belgium – I Who Have Never Known Men by Marlen Haushofer
Brazil – Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
Canada – Bunny by Mona Awad
Chile – Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende
Colombia – Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
France – A Leopard Skin Hat by Anne Serre
Hungary – The Door by Magda Szabó
India – The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
Italy – My Brilliant Friend by Elana Ferrante
Japan – Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai
Lebanon – Women of Sand and Myrrh by Hanan al-Shaykh
Oman – Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi
Pakistan – The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto
Sweden – A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
United Kingdom – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
USA – The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen or Beloved by Toni Morrison
Any suggestions?
I have more than 180 countries left to fill. What are your must-reads from less-represented places? I would love to hear your suggestions - contact me on my socials below!
I’ll also be creating shortlists for each country, so stay tuned if you’re tempted to start your own “read the world” adventure.